Abuse of minor: Police lens zooms in on filmdom

KOCHI: The ugly underbelly of tinsel world in Tamil Nadu and Kerala has come under the scanner after the Crime Branch team, probing the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl, found that certain persons reportedly from filmdom have abused her.Refusing to divulge the details about the suspects, a senior Crime Branch official said they had intensified the probe to nab certain accused who were at large after the case came to light.“We have certain clues about the accused and will be arresting them in the coming days,” Crime Branch Superintendent S Surendran said.Official sources said the girl had revealed the details of a film director and a few persons in the film industry, who had abused her.“We are cross-checking certain other details. She could identify the persons she had met,” sources said.They said that around 69 persons had abused the girl.The officials said that they had decided to conduct an HIV test on all those who had been arrested in connection with the case. “We will be conducting an HIV test and a detailed medical test on the arrested,” the officials said, and added that the District Medical Officer (DMO) had been asked to provide intensive medical care to the girl who was physically weak.Her father had abused her initially before presenting his daughter to other people, the officials said. The probe team had already ascertained that the girl was taken to various places in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu by immoral trafficking agents after she was promised roles in films.The sexual abuse of the minor girl at North Paravoor in Ernakulam district came to light three months ago after her mother had lodged a police complaint submitting that her husband had forcibly drawn her daughter to prostitution.Based on the submissions made by the mother and her daughter, the police registered a case and launched a probe. Though the police were able to arrest 29 persons, including the girl’s parents in connection with the case, the government handed over the investigation to the Crime Branch after there were allegations that the police were trying to help a few high-profile persons.The CB, in the last two weeks, had arrested five persons who included a leading PWD contractor in TN.